The need for remedial courses to get high school graduates up to college speed has been an issue here in New Hampshire, with some legislators last year proposing fiscal penalties for high schools who’s students need remediation in New Hampshire colleges.  This new report does not have state-by-state statistics, but it does document a strong improvement nationally.

New research out from the National Center for Education Statistics sheds light on incoming college students who are taking remedial or developmental classes and how the landscape has changed in the past decade.

The percentage of freshman who had to take remedial classes upon entering college dropped from 1999-2000 to 2007-2008 from 26.3 percent to 20.4 percent. Looking more closely, however, the NCES shows a dip in 2003-2004 when just 19.3 percent of new college students reported taking remedial courses before it ticked up again.

The First-Year Undergraduate Remedial Coursetaking report released Wednesday measured the frequency and change in remedial enrollment at U.S. postsecondary institutions, as well as looked at what kinds of students were lacking the skills to perform college-level work.

via Fewer Incoming College Students Need Remediation, Research Shows – College Bound – Education Week.